Electric annunciator



' (ModeL) H. B.-'POB,TER.

ELECTRIC ANNUNGIATOB.

Fig.1

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Mar. 28,1882

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(ModeL) H. B. PORTER.

ELECTRIC ANNUNUIATOR.

Patented M51228, 1882 175/12 can/$0 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. PORTER, OF CHICAGO, ILL INOlS.

ELECTRIC ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinoi's, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Electric Annunciators, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention is designed toimprove, sim-' plify, and perfecttheinstru'ment and its operation as shown in Letters Patent of theUnited- States, No. 214,261, granted to me April 15, 1879, forimprovement in electric annnnciators; anditconsists in a modification ofthe E-shaped armature of said patent, a change of location of thehorizontal arm ofthe curtain there shown bearing theannunciating-characters, and the substitution of vertical notched barsfor the double crank or looped rod of said patent which operates thehorizontal arms to elevate the curtains.

Theinvention consists, further, in supporting all the parts of theinstrument-in asolid metal frame made in one piece and shaped to receivethe other parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view of the instrument I attached to its base-boardand havingthe faceplate removed. Fig. 2 is a side view, looked at in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 9, 10, 11, and12 are details, showing respectively side and end or edge views ofdetached partsb Fig. 13 is a perspective of the metal frame having theparts of the instrument detached. Fig. let is a section on line as as,Fig. 1. Fig. 15 is a detail in perspective.

Similar lettersof reference refer to similar parts throughout all of theviews,

A designates the base-board, tov'hicli the supporting metal frame A,cast or formed in one solid piece and shaped or formed to receive theother parts, is secured by screw a. This frame is provided in its faceor front part with numerous concave recesses, b,Fig.2,each adapted toreceive a single helix, B, and the projecting ends of its core 1, thelatter being out of contact with the frame. The helix is held in theconcave recess by means of a forked compressor or helix-holder, G,adapted to lie over the outer ends of the helix and leave an openingbetween. The holder is secured to part of Letters Patent No. 255,453,dated March 28, 1882. Application filed Qctoherfi, 1881. (Model) I theframe over the helix by means of a screw, a, passing through the opening0 in the top into the frame, the pin 0, Fig. 8, passing into a smallhole in the frame to aid the screw. The frame is also provided withholes D immediately below the recesses b, into which holes plugs D, ofwood or other non-conducting' substance, are driven, and to these plugsthe armatures E are secured loosely at the bottom by screws a passingthrough holes in 'the armatures into the plugs. The armatures are madethe same as shown in my former patent, except the central arm isextended to near-- ly twice the length of the outer arms, so that itshall move through greater space, and is provided at its tip end with asmall anti-friction pulley, e, of non-conducting material, designed tomore readily reiieve the contact of the curtain therewith. The frame isalso provided with arms e,best made of one piece with the frame. Throughthe outer ends of these curtains F are hinged at the top. Verticalnotched bars G are held in open slots in the armse by coil-springs 9,attached to the frame and the rear of thenotched bars. The notches ofthe bars are turned to one side, similar to the turning of saw-teeth insetting, as seen at i, Fig. l, to enable them more perfectly to engagewith the lipsfot' the curtains, which are curtain instead of its center,as in my said former patent.

To the top of the frame are pivoted arms H, through the outer ends ofwhich a rod, h, passes, and the bars G are connected through their upperends to the rod h by means of short bars G, which are respectivelyhinged both at their connection with said rod and the upper ends of barsG. A puslrrod, I, is also connected pivotally to the rod h, and extendsdown below the instrument, and is provided with a knob or handle forelevating it. It also has a rubber cushion, 1 acting as a noiseless stopagainst the case. By elevating the pushrod the bars G are raisedvertically and the notches come in contact with lipsfof the curtainswhen 'the curtains are down, and turn them back to a horizontal positionout of view, in which-position they are held by resting their bottomedges on top of the pulley 0.

arms small wires 6 pass, and to these wires the placed at thecurtain-hinge at one side of the- ICO When the armature is attracted tothe core the central arm carrying pulley e is moved out of the radialsweep of the curtain, which, being thus left without support, falls to avertical position and exposes the numeral or otherannunciating-charaoter thereon to view. All the curtains, or as many ofthem as may be down, are turned up by a single elevation of thepush-rod, which, with the notched bars, drops back when released, readyfor the next operation; Each armature being loosely attached at thebottom and held in a vertical position falls back of its own weightwhenthe electric'circuit is broken, so as to bring the end of the centralarm within the radial sweep of the opposite curtain, which, in rising,passes above the pulley c and drops back upon it, the central arm beingmoved forward by the curtain in rising, and dropping back under the edgeofthe curtain as soon as thecurtain passes beyond its reach. Fig. 1shows only one of the curtains down.

In the instrument shown inniy former patent the curtain is provided witha horizontal arm at the center of the top edge, where the curtain ishinged, and a double crank or looped rod is employed, in connection withthe horizontal arm, to restore the curtain to its elevated position,inwhich it is held by resting its lower edge on the top of the central armof the armature, the principle of operation being similar to thatdescribed in this patent; but the modification of the armature hereshown gives the extreme end of the curtainsupporting arm greatermovement and reduces its friction on the curtain. The changed positionof the horizontal arm or lip f of the curtain from the center to oneside permits the restoration by means of notched bars G operating on thelips outside of the path of the curtain. These changes make theinstrument and its opera tion more perfect and certain than before.

The metal frame cheapens and facilitates the manufacture of theinstrument and makes it more compact and substantial.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric aununciator, a vertical armature, E, having itscentral arm nearly twice the length of its outer arms, and provided witha pulley, e, at the tip, in combination with a helix with both ends ofits core exposed at points opposite to the ends of the outer arms of thearmature, substantially as shown.

2. In an electric annunciator, curtains F, hinged at the top edge towires of, so as to turn thereon, and provided with lips f, projectingradially from the hinge and transversely from and outside of the path ofthe curtain, as shown.

3. In an electric annunciator,verticalnotched bar G, pivotal bar G,pivotal arm H, and pushrod I, in combination with hinged curtains F,having lips f projecting radially from the hinge and transversely out ofthe path of the curtain, all operating as shown.

4. In an electric aununciator, an armature, E, whose central arm isconsiderably longer than the outer arm, and provided at its tip with apulley, e, such armature being loosely secured at the bottom in avertical position, in combination with a curtain, F, operating together,as shown.

5. In an electric annunciator, a helix, B, recessed in the frame andsecured by a helixholder, 0, having an opening in the center for thecentral arm of the armature to play back and forth in.

6. In an electric annunciator, a metal frame provided with numerousconcave recesses, b, openings D, and slotted arms e, cast in one piece,as shown.

HENRY B. PORTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. WHIPPLE, H. S. CHANDLER.

